Revelation (The Keepers of the Teardrop Book 1)

by Simone Lari

  She caught that gesture, which she had been waiting for with a certain, unusual anxiety, but didn't grant him any satisfaction: she didn't reply to the gesture in any way, indeed, she looked away, disinterested.

  Christopher went to Nina and Vans, understanding his intentions, sharpened his senses.

  "Are you alright?" the vampire began.

  "O-of course, I'm fine. Only a huge fright but not even a scratch, luckily."

  "I was not referring to that. Something strange happened to you that must have disturbed you."

  "I don't know what you're talking about... "

  "Lord Gregor. You pushed him away, isn't that right?"

  The girl was startled. With those words, the hunter straightened up.

  "So it was you? Explain how the devil you did it."

  Instinctively, Nina took a hand to her breast, in search of a logical explanation that she absolutely did not have.

  "I… I don't know" she admitted with her head down.

  "What you've demonstrated is not an ability that ordinary people have. I could help you to understand what it is, and maybe teach you how to manage this unusual ability you have" proposed Christopher.

  "I'll take charge of this" Jared interrupted. "I have more experience, and I'm not personally involved."

  "But what...?" Vans tried to object.

  "I'll try to understand what generated that event, but not tonight. The girls have been through too many dangers and have also seen too much for today. It's late and their family members may begin to worry, and perhaps call the police."

  Only then did Nina realize how late it was, and the fact that they had not let anyone know at all.

  "Perhaps it's best to go and call Angelique, upstairs."

  "I'll go. Oooh, little girls with a curfew!" retorted Jude.

  "I'll go with you" Vans assured her, "right now Gabriel is in a dream world with all that morphine."

  "Well, it's time for us to go, Nina" said Christopher. "We need to reach the new house before dawn. I hope to see you again soon."

  "Th-thank you, me too" she answered, blushing.

  The three vampires got into the car and left the chalet.

  As soon as they were some way off, Vans had the girls get into his car but before leaving he turned to Jared.

  "Was it wise to let them go?" he asked, troubled.

  "Haven't you ever heard the proverb that says: the devil you know is better than the one you don't know?"

  "I didn't mean that, I meant the fact that there are many things that don't add up for me. Abraham, their elder, was killed by Lord Gregor because, as far as I understand, he made deals. Do you know anything about that?"

  "I don't know what goes through the head of those monsters nor do I want to think about it!" replied Jared bitterly, eluding Vans' gaze.

  "And what can you tell me about Nina?" he insisted, suspicious. "She certainly isn't a monster, but what she did has nothing to do with human beings."

  "Perhaps she is in possession of some strange relic and doesn't even know."

  "Or she practices magic, I see no other explanation."

  "In that case, we must keep an eye on her. Magic can be a source of corruption, and the thirst for power can cloud even the most naive and pure minds" concluded Jared.

  Some moments of total silence followed, broken only by Angelique knocking on the rear window of the car.

  "Why do I have the feeling that you're hiding something from me?"

  "Because the blow that you received against the tree must have been harder than expected. Take them home and come back quickly: you need to sleep too."

  Little convinced, Vans agreed and headed to the car. When it disappeared at the bottom of the driveway, Jared checked the remains of the vampires and took care to get rid of the material which had not been burned. Very quickly his eye fell on the mysterious katana.

  "Turn right" ordered Christopher.

  "Are you sure? Abraham's villa is closer than that place."

  "Yes, but we can get to Riverfalls before sunrise, especially if you go faster."

  Sting put his foot down. Along the way, he wanted to clear up a matter he didn't like: "Can we trust those hunters?"

  "There is more than a truce between us and them; we don't have to worry, at least for a little while."

  "I'm certainly not on their side, but I think they could turn out to be useful to us in some way, one of these days" remarked Alyna.

  An hour later, the three reached the place Jared had indicated.

  The remains of what had once been a huge villa, stood miserably in front of them, now reduced to a heap of blackened rubble.

  "Are you sure this is the place? It looks like just a heap of old ruins" Sting commented as he moved some of the debris.

  "I'm sure, and I'm thinking that the hunters were not up to date on its condition. You heard too, when he said they were keeping an eye on them."

  "Anyway, there's been a fire here recently" remarked Alyna, "perhaps they didn't check on them very frequently."

  "And that means we're in the shit!" Sting burst out. "Of course, we could have imagined that the Duergars had attacked the clan and eliminated its members, at least we would have saved ourselves from ending up roasted exactly in ...”

  "Identify yourselves, if you don't want the dust of your bodies to mix with that of the villa!" ordered a female voice behind them.

  They turned around.

  Standing on the roof of Sting's sports car towered a vampire with blue eyes and black hair, holding a long sword in one hand and an automatic Beretta in the other.

  "Hey, gorgeous, first of all get those stiletto heels off my roof, because you'll scratch it!" began Sting, belligerent.

  Christopher stopped him, raising an arm.

  "We're the followers of the Morland elder, Abraham Tasker" explained Alyna. "Our elder was killed by the Duergar clan and we've come here to ask you if we can join you."

  "Well done, go on and let everyone know our affairs!" Sting rebuked her.

  "She is the elder, how come you're the only one who hasn't understood that?" Christopher rebuked him.

  Sting fixed her with more attention.

  The vampire came slowly toward them, without holstering the weapons. She inspected them closely, looking them carefully in the eye and weighing them up with her gaze.

  When she stood before him, Sting dropped his eyes to the gap between her breasts, tightly wrapped in a black leather suit. She pulled his chin up with the barrel of the gun and said: "I am Katrina, the elder of the clan, the only survivor of the Duergar' attack." She showed them a tattoo on the inside of her wrist, very similar to the one that Abraham had. "My followers fought to the end, allowing me to leave the field. The enemies were too numerous and we were caught by surprise" she revealed with no tremor that betrayed any emotion.

  "They've tried to get rid of us too, more than once, but we made sure we balanced the accounts: Lord Gregor is dead, along with his clan" Christopher told her.

  "How did you do that? And who gave you the information to find this place?" she asked doubtfully.

  "We've been assisted in the operation by the ones who told us where to find you" was all Alyna said.

  Katrina narrowed her eyes in thought, then sized them up again, one by one, and retorted: "I wasn't able to do the same. There were too many of the Duergar, and this place is no longer secret. In addition, as you can see, nothing remains of what was once my home."

  "Abraham Tasker's villa is spacious and safe. And as it happens, a suite has just become available" said Sting sarcastically.

  "Come with us, we'll all be safer" proposed Alyna.

  "You can contact the elders and tell them that the Duergar broke the truce, attacking two of our clan's hideaways” Christopher pointed out.

  The vampire returned the sword to the holster, then the gun also.

  "Agreed, I'll come with you. But let it be clear that, from this moment, I'm the boss."

  The three nodded wit
h different degrees of conviction.

  "I think it's better to leave here quickly: even if the Duergar have razed the place to the ground, they could return" proposed Christopher.

  "And, let's not forget, the sun is about to fry the lot of us!" exulted Sting, slyly.

  "We'll help you get your things" said Alyna, in a reverential way.

  "Everything I own is what I have with me" Katrina clarified.

  "Well, I don't think it's all that little…" remarked Sting, lasciviously.

  Epilogue

  "Listen, do you mind if we make a small detour? I'd like to go by a place, it'll be quick" said Gabriel, driving Jared's pick-up.

  "Ugh, I'm hungry, and from here to home the pizzas will be cold!" Lynn objected.

  "It will take just a few minutes, I promise" he said imploringly.

  "Okay, take the short detour" she answered, smiling.

  The boy drove until reaching a long row of cottages in a quiet neighborhood, clean and welcoming.

  He stopped and made to open the door, but hesitated and went back on his intentions; he picked up his mobile phone.

  "What are you doing, aren't you going to see your sweetheart?" she asked, amazed.

  "Uh, no. She's not my sweetheart, it's just that...I'd like to know how she is, that's all. And going there, with her family, doesn't seem right. It's easier by phone and we'll be quicker” he pressed in the number, without giving Lynn time to needle him any further.

  Angelique answered at the third ring.

  "Hi, it's Gabriel; I just wanted to know if everything is ok…"

  "Hi!" chirped Angelique on the other end, "Happy to hear from you. Yes, everything's fine. Now that it's all over, I feel more relieved."

  "Perfect, I'm happy. Well, that's all, I'm in a bit of a hurry, and so, we'll be in touch."

  "We're here outside if you want to … ump!" Lynn's words were strangled in her throat by a hand pressed hard on her lips.

  "Who's with you?"

  "Nothing, don't pay any attention to it, it's that mad hunter friend of mine" he played down, glaring at Lynn.

  "Anyway, if you want to get together one day, well, I'd like that."

  Gabriel smiled, almost drunk on those words.

  "Me too. So see you again soon."

  "See you soon, then. Bye."

  The boy hung up, turned his smile toward Lynn, who returned one of derision, then he frowned and started the engine.

  "I hope those pizzas are dripping oil onto your jeans, you harpy!"

  "Listen, why don't you take the second right, it will be quicker" she proposed, without hitting back.

  "Uh, it doesn't seem shorter to me, that way we go past…" He stopped talking and, with a timid little smile, followed the directions.

  The sun had set by now, the lights inside the houses were lit, including the one in Jude's room. Lynn peeked out through the window, as Gabriel slowed down. Just enough time for a brief smile, then she nodded to the boy to continue.

  "Here's the pizza! If it's cold, take it up with Gabriel" started Lynn, opening the door of the chalet.

  "Why, what did my navigator do? Don't tell me he took the wrong turn."

  "Yes, as a matter of fact, he was a little lost…" she needled.

  "Give it here, I'm hungry!" roared Jared.

  "Did you get the croquettes for Kira?" asked Vans.

  "Of course I did, for adult cats with weight problems, and the anti-bolus ones as well" he answered patiently in a soppy tone.

  "That cat eats better than the rest of us" remarked Jared.

  "Come on, pass the pizza!" Vans urged him.

  "Well then… peppers and sausage for you; ham and mushrooms for Jared; capricciosa for Lynn, and the vegetarian is for me."

  "Vegetarian, how sad!" remarked his friend.

  "Shut up and eat!"

  The boys began to cut the pizzas, while Jared put the beers and cola on the table.

  "Hey, Jared, have you thought about what might explain Nina's powers?" asked Gabriel between one mouthful and the next. Vans pricked up his ears.

  "Do you mean to say whether this is a case of relics or something different? Not yet, but I'm not giving up” he answered focusing on his pizza.

  "Maybe the little girl has some innate paranormal power, it can't be ruled out" hypothesized Lynn, after a long sip of beer.

  "I can't see her as a witch" remarked Gabriel, quickly getting a dirty look from Vans. "I mean, I really can't see her as a practitioner of magic" he clarified in more moderate tones.

  "Whatever it is, we'll find out, as we have always done. Now eat!" Jared ordered, gulping down a copious sip of beer.

  Clarissa had just put George to bed when Nina passed by his room to get to her own.

  "Going to sleep already, darling?" asked the mother quietly as she opened the door a little.

  "Yes, I'm a little tired."

  "I believe you: you've upset your biorhythm after that night when you got back very late and without even letting us know" she rebuked her.

  "Mom, I think I already explained what happened, didn't I?" she replied, annoyed.

  Clarissa went all the way into the room, where she could continue the conversation with a tone of voice more suited to expressing her indignation.

  "Don't think that now; just because you've turned eighteen, you can do whatever you want! It's right that you have your space, but it's not at all right that you don't keep us informed about what you're doing. Your father was justifiably concerned and so was I!"

  "Well, dad's always asleep on the couch like a sloth in lethargy when I get home. If this shows how much he worries about me, then you shouldn't be alarmed."

  Clarissa sighed. Nina sat on the bed.

  "Your father and I love you and we worry about you. I don't think it's too much to ask if I want to know where you go and when you come home, especially if you have school the next day."

  "Have you forgotten who you're with, that's the real question."

  "Listen" she said patiently, sitting down next to her and putting her hands on the girl's shoulders. "The world out there is more ruthless and terrible than you think."

  "Ah, trust me, I've got a good idea" then immediately bit her lips realizing how inappropriate it had been to say something like that.

  "What does that mean?" asked the woman, alarmed.

  "It means that I'm tired, I've had a long hard day, and I want to rest: that's all" she parried promptly.

  "Okay, sweetie, but don't think you can get away with it like this. Tomorrow we'll talk about it again, and don't think even for one moment that I'm fooled by the excuses that you sold me the other night."

  Clarissa caressed Nina's face, a sweet and loving gesture in complete contrast to her own taut and contracted face, and then left the room. She gave a quick look to the floor below: her husband was watching television on the sofa, with one eye open and one closed.

  She went into the small library at the end of the hallway, turned on the light and closed the door behind her.

  Standing on tip-toes, she pulled out one of the heavy books sitting on the top shelf, and a few moments later the wall moved, revealing a small alcove behind it.

  With her hands on her hips, she examined the books, ampoules and amulets lined up in front of her one by one.

  She picked up the cell phone and formed her mother's number. The device rang several times before the old woman decided to respond.

  "Clarissa, what is so urgent that you have to call me at this hour?"

  "I'm afraid a rebel clan has entered Persepolis" she answered bluntly.

  Agatha's voice became serious: "Duergar? What makes you think that?" she asked, tightening her grip on the handset.

  "My contact with the police told me about three murders which took place in a suspicious way. I tried to get in contact with Abraham, but with no result, furthermore... several nights ago Nina's Trequetra was emanating heat."

  "A sign that she has had something to do with hostile vampires" stat
ed the old woman.

  "We'll investigate these events and monitor the Teardrop with extreme caution. I think the moment has arrived for Nina to know."

  "I've been repeating this to you for years: you have to reveal her true nature to her and the secrets of our family."

  With a tense face and a drawn expression, Clarissa nodded.

  Nina was about to turn off the bedside lamp when her phone, sitting on the night table, began to vibrate insistently.

  She picked it up and without looking at the number, put it to her ear: "Hello?"

  "Hi, Nina. It's Tony."

  "Hi" she answered, slightly disappointed by betrayed expectations.

  "Listen, sorry for calling you at this time, but I wanted to know how you are. You've seemed strange at school these last few days, you have an undecipherable expression."

  "Listen, everything's fine, I think I've said that far too many times lately, so excuse me, but it's late and I want to go to sleep. Goodbye" she liquidated him.

  She put the phone down and impatiently searched for the lamp switch, when the cell phone vibrated again; she took it angrily.

  "I thought I'd been clear: don't annoy me!" she barked.

  "Hey, calm down, beautiful." replied Vans, curtly

  "Vans? It's, it's you? Sorry, I wasn't yelling at you!" she promptly justified herself.

  "What a relief. Have you got an admirer who's tormenting you? I imagine that a girl like you must have quite a few."

  "Well, maybe one or two; do you want to join the list by any chance?" she provoked him.

  "No, it's definitely not my style. Listen, I wanted to know how you were and if anything strange had happened to you during the day."

  She took a breath and patiently breathed: "I'm fine, and no, nothing strange happened to me today. I didn't knock anyone down; I didn't levitate or spit fire from my mouth or anywhere else."

  "Good, good. You must realize that what you did the other evening was very strange. We need to see each other to try and understand what's going on here."

  "Is this your way of asking me for a date? Because in this case there's no need to find silly justifications: just ask me."